Monthly Archives : January 2017

A pond is a great addition to any garden, as it provides a place for birds and small animals to gather. It also provides a place for you to grow flowers, herbs, or vegetables. Since it will be close to water, and preferably moving water, many different birds and insect pollinators will be drawn to the flowers or herbs that are there. They’ll spread the pollen to fertilise your plants and keep them growing healthily.

A pond also does its part for the environment. As you might know, the population of pollinating bees is dropping due to changing weather and an overabundance of insecticides on plants. Many scientists who study this situation say a true problem is brewing, specifically as the overwhelming majority of the world’s food is pollinated by insects and much of that by bees. So, the disappearance of bees actually creates a food crisis, but the same scientists say that every person doing their little bit can help keep the population going strong. That means planting some bright, great smelling flowers around your pond to create a tiny ecosystem. It’s a great way to do your part to help the environment. However, if you don’t keep your pond in good shape, it will just be an eyesore that smells bad and attracts mosquitoes and other pests.

Keep it Clean

You need to make sure that you select high quality pond pumps to keep the water in your pond moving. The water needs to stay moving so that it can circulate any debris that might have settled into the pond. It can then be filtered out by the pump, or by a pond skimmer. Also, keeping the water moving helps to introduce oxygen into your pond. The fish in your pond need oxygen that is dissolved in the water. Also, oxygen helps speed along any decay that might occur but it doesn’t produce the sort of swampy decay that is undesirable. Aerobic decay is the process by which compost is made. You can also help keep a pond clean by choosing the right plants.

Choosing Plants

There are several different plants you can choose to go around your pond. If you don’t want to spend too much time worrying about your pond, you should plant low-maintenance herbs that smell great. Any of the varieties of mint would work, but a generic spearmint is often preferred because it is so hardy. Anytime the wind blows it, or someone rustles through the leaves, it will release a minty fragrance into the air. You have to be careful with mint, though. It produces low running stems that can then create more plants, so if you’re not careful, it will take over your whole yard. Some people don’t mind that, though.

Mint and other vigorously growing plants are great because they consume a lot of water. The areas around your pond can sometimes have water that overflows or seeps into the ground. While this isn’t a large problem, it can create the perpetually moist conditions that lend to smelly decay and insects. Very thirsty plants mitigate that risk.

Few scenarios are worse for a homeowner than finding pests in the house, whether those be ants or damaging termites. Though you can attempt to treat infestations via DIY methods, only professionals come armed with the right equipment and treatment solutions to handle the job. By calling such an expert, you save time and money in the long run and enjoy peace of mind in the knowledge your pests are taken care of faster.

Pests come into a home during all months of the year and you might not notice a problem until long after they overran the property. Professionals help catch the signs of a problem early and they may be the only thing standing between a pest-free home and irreparable damage. Termites can dramatically reduce the integrity of your wooden beams and an advanced infestation may lead to serious problems such as a cave-in. Therefore, you cannot fail to hire a professional the moment that you suspect a problem in your home.

Quality

Pesticides applied to your home by a professional tend to be of higher quality than most products found at the store due to their industrial strength. In addition, they utilise the most advanced equipment available to get the job done, saving time and effort in the process. When you choose to contact one of the pest control experts listed on Thomson Local, you choose to give yourself peace of mind and expert results.

In fact, professional pest control companies utilise pesticides made with eco-friendly materials and these last months, even years, reducing the frequency of application. These professionals know exactly which chemicals work best against your particular pest problem. For example, they have different solutions for a cockroach infestation than they would for a termite infestation. From start to finish, the results simply outweigh the option of DIY methods.

Time and Money

It may appear as if doing your own pest control would save money but you are more likely to face other problems down the road. For example, you treat an infestation and believe you got all of the pests but a few remain. Those few then multiply and those pests multiply on and on until your infestation is right back where it was in the beginning or worse. This time, you may not notice the problem until you have a serious situation on your hands. In the end, you spend more than you ever would hiring a professional and you also risk more dangerous consequences.

Professionals come to your home within days of your call and they utilise industrial equipment designed to provide the most reliable coverage at the most effective speed. In a matter of minutes, your entire home should be fitted with a layer of protection while any existing pests are removed. If you choose to do the work alone, you risk wasting hours of your time getting the same coverage and the materials you choose may not be the best for your unique situation. At the end of it all, only a professional can provide reliable results without exception.

Our times today is clearly different from before. Our great grandparents then must only shop for the things they can only bring in to their accommodations as there were no storage facilities then. Whatever they shop when they are on vacation, they have to bring all of them wherever they end up thus they can’t really buy all the things they want or their vacation will be greatly inconvenienced. That is a far cry from what we have today. If one will decide to have a vacation in San Diego, then by all means, he can shop till he drops as there are already many cheap storage units in almost all cities worldwide.

That is right, no manner where you go these days, you can easily find a self storage facility and they are equipped with different units. These different units can accommodate different types of things. Check out below these different self storage units:

Portable container storage units – this is good when you will store many things like appliances and a lot more. The container will be delivered to your home by the facility you choose. Once that container is filled, the facility will then take it back to their warehouse for safekeeping. If you are quite busy that you don’t have time to even send your things to a storage facility, then this is the best option for you.

Personal and business storage units – this is the kind of storage unit you should rent when you are planning to move to a new office. While the move is still going on, you can store your things here for the time being. This is also good if you are having a renovation at home. For your things not to get damaged, you can have them here for safekeeping.

Vehicle storage units – when the weather is not good or during winter time or maybe when you are planning to go for a long trip, you can ensure the safety of your valuable vehicle by storing in this kind if storage unit. You can even store your boat here if you have one.

Climate controlled self storage units – for those things that are quite sensitive and must be stored in a particular temperature, they can be stored here. Such things like paintings or art collections, antiques and so on should be in this kind of unit.

Office renovation projects frequently run over budget, in fact, most experts advocate allocating at least 10% more for the budget than originally quoted to make sure there’s enough funds to cover it! However, there are many ways for business organisations to save money on office renovations, so read on as here in this short article we look at some of the ways to reduce the cost of an office renovation and fitout project.

Think Long-Term

Planning for future growth is essential when planning your project. While there are surely things that you want to scale back or reduce, for example, the number of private offices, there are usually more things that you’ll need to increase the number of, like workstations to accommodate your new hires!

In addition to accommodating new staff members, think long-term by planning for:

Changes to layout – Wherever possible, implement a flexible layout that can be changed

That’s not all that you’ll need to do when thinking long-term, but it gives you an idea of the things that you need to give attention to when planning. Moreover, don’t think too long-term, think about the next five years (planning longer than this is detrimental to business success) and where that time will take your business organisation.

Light Colour Schemes

In a brand-centric day and age, it’s tempting to decorate the workplace in your brand’s colours (whatever they may be), however, it’s nearly always advisable to keep things light and bright when decorating. Many employers have been harnessing the power of colours in the workplace and so too should you as there are many excellent benefits to take advantage of here, such as:

Happier, more productive employees who will put in a greater effort

A brighter, better-illuminated workplace that’s a more enjoyable place to work

What’s more, you can also save money on lighting by keeping the windows open and using light colour schemes as opposed to darker colour schemes! Good for the planet and your budget!

Hire an Interior Design Team

Yes, it’s an expense, but how much do you know about interior design and office fitouts? Working with an expert team that has created numerous office spaces for a broad range of clients in the past (Saracen Interiors refurbished the Creature offices in London among many others, making them a great choice) is essential because your business benefits in many ways, including:

Professional assistance, guidance and advice

Better planning, budgeting and processes

While you could choose to plan your project and carry it out on your own, chances are it would not only be lacking in professionalism but also more costly – these are two of many reasons why savvy business organisations choose to work with leading providers of interior design and office fitouts. You’ll not only enjoy a better, more efficient workplace, but save a significant sum of money as well.

Use these handy tips to ensure a successful, cost-effective renovation project that runs on budget!

Contemporary homes have the common problem of space. With increasing real estate prices, homes are getting smaller, and for owners and tenants, it is a big hassle to deal with the goods and belongings. If you are shifting to a smaller house or need to save on the cost of moving, it is a wise idea to look for quality storage services. A self-storage company offers units, also known as containers, for a fixed monthly charge, and you can keep all the extra stuff safely. There are plenty of services around, and it might be hard to find the right one.

Here are some of the things that must be checked before choosing storage units.

Services. Apart from storage units, does the company offer pickup and delivery? If yes, what are the extra charges? What is their normal timing for business? The business hours do matter, because the customer should have access to their goods as and when required. Some companies may help with moving the stuff, as well.

Pricing. This is also an important factor. It is extremely essential to have a serve that’s affordable and easy with the pricing. People often store goods with self-storage companies for months, before shifting back to the city. To avoid unwanted costs and hidden charges, which are pretty common, it is always wise to check your needs and ask for an estimate from few known companies.

Security. This is the first and foremost aspect that needs attention. Many home owners do have their concerns when they pay for such services, and rightfully so. You need a company that has enough manpower and additional security facilities to offer complete protection, especially against thefts and unauthorized entry.

Reputation. A company should have a good name in the market. The best way to find services in your area is to ask friends and family, and you can even choose to check online. Make sure that the company is licensed and established, and if you have any concerns with their services, you can ask for client references for your area.

Options. Finally, do check the kind of self-storage units offered by a concerned service. For example, some people may need a large container to keep their car, while others may just need a small space for few boxes. Check the options before making a choice.